Blocked Senate bill would make Roe v. Wade law, expand it

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats' abortion legislation is "very simple," as it would enshrine into federal law the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

Senate Democrats moved quickly to try to codify the 50-year-old ruling after a draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion suggesting the court is poised to overturn the case was leaked last week. But they were unable to overcome a GOP filibuster of the bill, falling well short of the 60 votes needed in Wednesday's 51-49 vote against moving the legislation forward.

If the Democratic legislation were to become law at some point, it would do more than just preserve the status quo.

The bill would also expand protections, invalidating many state laws that Democrats and abortion rights advocates say have infringed on the original 1973 ruling. Two Republican senators who support abortion rights have indicated they won't vote for it, instead favoring their own, narrower legislation.

A look at the legislation blocked by Senate Republicans on Wednesday:

Broadly, the main objective of the legislation is to codify Roe v. Wade into federal law, meaning it would be much harder for the Supreme Court to overturn. In the five decades the ruling has been court precedent, abortion rights supporters have not been able to pass federal legislation to legalize abortion. And because the Supreme Court decided on that right, it can also take it away — however rare such a move may be.

In codifying Roe, the legislation would establish that health care providers have rights to provide abortion services and that patients have a right to receive abortions.